Pocket nasal inhaler

ABSTRACT

A pocket nasal inhaler comprising a case and a container for the drug to be inhaled slideably disposed therein. Said container includes a top wall having an outlet orifice formed therein for inhalation of the drug therein; said container has a cross section of such extent as to permit same to be freely axially reciprocally slideable within said case while being prevented from rotating. Said case has a cross section substantially the same as that of the container and is provided with an integrally formed cover. In one side wall of said case is a window-like opening permitting access to suitable gripping means formed on the confronting portion of the outer surface of the container whereby said container may be manipulated for movement relatively within said case. Means are provided on the case for limiting the travel of the container. Said gripping means and the associated structure are designed to permit movement of said inner container by the exertion of the thumb of the hand holding the inhaler. Said container and case are preferably fabricated from suitable plastics.

United States Patent [111 3,788,316 Mora Jan. 29, 1974 I 1 POCKET NASAL INHALER Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant ExaminerG. F. Dunne [76] Inventor: Maria Mora, via Sercognani l5, Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ralph W. Kalish Milan, Italy 7 [57] ABSTRACT [22] Flled: 1971 A pocket nasal inhaler comprising a case and a container for the drug to be inhaled slideably disposed [21] Appl' 133299 therein. Said container includes a top wall having an outlet orifice formed therein for inhalation of the drug [52] US. Cl. 128/200 therein; said container has a cross section of such ex- [51] Int. Cl A61m 15/08 tent as to permit same to be freely axially reciprocally [58] Field of Search 128/200, 198, 206, 207, 208, slideable within said case While being prevented from References Cited a llll/lllllln rotating. Said case has a cross section substantially the same as that of the container and is provided with an integrally formed cover. In one side wall of said case is a window-like opening permitting access to suitable gripping means formed on the confronting portion of the outer surface of the container whereby said container may be manipulated for movement relatively within said case. Means are provided on the case for limiting the travel of the container. Said gripping means and the associated structure are designed to permit movement of said inner container by the exertion of the thumb of the hand holding the inhaler. Said container and case are preferably fabricated from suitable plastics.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 1 JEQKEIFASAL INHALER BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to receptacles and, more particularly, to a nasal drug inhaler of the pocket type.

Pocket inhalers of the types heretofore known have had numerous drawbacks especially with respect to structural design and operation, and also with respect to cost of manufacture and bulkiness of size. The present invention contemplates a pocket inhaler which can be operated in an unusually simple and comfortable manner, i.e., by the finger of one hand only, and in addition is most compact in size.

An object of the invention consists in the provision of an inhaler of the previously stated type having a particularly simple design, relatively small in size, and easily operable.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an inhaler of the type stated which can be produced most economically for sale at a competitive price.

The above and further objects and purposes are attained by the inhaler according to his invention, which is characterized in that it comprises a container for the drug to be inhaled, consisting of a hollow body having a top wall formed with an outlet orifice for the fluid to be inhaled and the cross section of which is such as to allow it to be freely slideable reciprocally axially in its case; said container being prevented from turning about its own axis. The case is provided with a crosssection substantially the same as that of said container and is formed with an integral cover. Grip means are formed on the wall of the container and are accessible through a longitudinal slot provided in the case wall; there being suitable means also provided for restricting the outward movement of said container when the inhaler is to be utilized; and said grip means being adapted for projecting said container beyond its case, e.g. by facile manipulation, as through the exertion of the thumb of the same hand holding the inhaler. Both the inner container and its case are made of a suitable plastic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of an inhaler constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention, illustrating same in closed or inoperative position;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section through FIG. 1 illustrating the inhaler in open or operative position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates a container received within an outer case B; said container and case being fabricated of suitable plastic material. Container A comprises a hollow body 1 being preferably of quadrangular cross section. Outer case B also comprises a hollow body 2 of quadrangular cross section and with body 1 being slideably fitted therein. The dimensional relationship of said body 1 and body 2 prevents the former from rotating about its own axis. Body 1 of container A is provided with a side wall 1a, a bottom wall 3, and top wall 4';

the latter having an orifice 4 formed therein to allow for the inhalation of a drug, as indicated at 6, contained therein. Side wall la of body 1 is provided with a knurling, indicated 7, for normal registration with an enlarged window-like opening 8 provided within side wall 2a of body 2 of outer case B.

At its upper end outer case B is provided with a closure or cover 10 suitably hinged along an adjacent side wall portion, for swingable movement between caseclosed and case-opened condition; said hinge, as indicated at 11, being relatively thin and of high flexibility.

Said cover 10 is provided centrally on its normally inner side 10' with a hemispherically shaped projection 12 for snug extension within orifice 4 when case B is closed to serve in the capacity of a stopper. Formed on the edge portion of cover inner side 10' is a continuous shoulder 13 designed to engage a mating seat 14 formed in the upper edge portion of body 2 within the mouth 2' thereof to enhance the sealing action of projection 12. Cover 10 is retained in closed condition by a resilient projection 15 formed on the cover inner side 10' adjacent the normally outer edge thereof for engaging a cooperating seat, as at 15, on the inner side of the upper portion of side wall 2a of body 2. Said resilient projection 15 can be released by the exertion of slight pressure upon cover 10 by container A when the latter is caused to move upwardly as well as shown hereinbelow. However, cover 10 may be opened by the gripping and lifting of an ear 17 formed on the outer edge of cover 10 and normally projecting beyond side wall 2a. I

Extending outwardly of container side wall 1a and the lower end of said knurling 7, is a projection 9 for abutment against the upper and lower edges 8, 8", respectively, of opening 8. Container A may be manipulated for movement reciprocally axially of case B by a finger-pushing action upon knurling 7 so that with the upper end of case B open, said container A may be caused to extend beyond the opened upper end of case B, a distance determined by abutment of projection 9 against opening edge 8 (see FIG. 2). The reverse or inward movement of container A is determined by abutment of projection 9 against window lower edge 8". Thus, the abutting action of projection 9 limits the stroke or travel of container A within case B. It will be seen that such manipulation of container A may be easily effected by a finger or thumb of the same hand holding the inhaler so that the other hand is entirely free.

It will be seen that window lower edge 8" is so located that when projection 9 abuts thereagainst, container A will be fully received within case B so that case cover 10 may be disposed in full closed condition with projection 12 stopper-wise received within orifice 4.

In order to facilitate the aspiration of the particular drug within container A, bottom wall 3 thereof, may, if desired, be provided with an opening 20 for establishing communication between the interior of container A and the interior of case B. When container A is in closed condition, the said opening in bottom wall 3 is closed by a plug-like projection 21 provided on the bottom wall 2b of body B; said bottom wall 2b being provided with a plurality of apertures 22 to permit passage of air therethrough for flow through the opening in bottom wall 3 for aspiration of the particular drug when container A is in operative or withdrawn condition.

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent is:

l. A pocket nasal inhaler comprising first means defining an enclosed container having a supply of a drug for inhalation, said container being four-sided in crosssection and having a top wall formed with an orifice therein, sidewalls, and a bottom Wall, second means defining an outer casing having side walls, a bottom wall, and a top wall swingably engaged to one of said casing side walls to provide a closure, hinge means having an axis normal to the longitudinal axis of said casing mounting said top wall on said side wall whereby the same is movable between upper, casing open condition, and lower, casing closed condition, said casing being four-sided and cross-section, said container being received within said casing and having its crosssectional dimensions slightly less than the corresponding dimensions of the casing whereby the container is relatively slidable longitudinally within the casing, the four-sided character of said casing and container presenting relative rotation of the same about the longitudinal axes, one of said side walls of said casing being provided with a window-like opening having upper and lower end edges, said opening normally exposing a portion of the adjacent side wall of the received container, grip means comprising knurling constituting a manipulation surface integrally formed on the normally exposed portion of the adjacent side wall of the received container, a detent projection provided on the normally exposed portion of said container side wall at one end portion of said manipulation surface and extending into the window-like opening in said casing for detain- 4 ing abutment against the end edges of saidwindow-like opening for limiting the relative slidable movement of the container within said casing, said detent being so located with respect to the upper end of said container that when said detent abuts the lower edge of said window-like opening said container upper end will be flushwise engaged with the under side of the top wall closure when the latter is in casing closed condition, a plug-like projection provided on the normally underface of said casing top wall closure receivable within said retainer orifice when the casing is in closed condition for preventing accidental escape of the inhalable drug, a stopper member provided on the innerface of the bottom wall of said casing for extension upwardly therefrom, said container bottom wall having an opening for receiving said stopper when said casing is in closed condition, said casing bottom wall also having a plurality of openings adjacent said stopper to permit passage of air therethrough for delivery to the container bottom wall opening upon startable movement of said container when said casing is in open condition.

2. A pocket nasal inhaler as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by a resilient finger formed on the inner side of said casing closure, the upper end of said casing defining a mouth when said closure is in inoperative or casing-open condition, a seat formed on the inner side of said casing mouth, said resilient finger engageable with said seat, and said casing closure being provided with a continuous shoulder for sealing engagement with said casing seat when said closure is in closed condition. 

1. A pocket nasal inhaler comprising first means defining an enclosed container having a supply of a drug for inhalation, said container being four-sided in cross-section and having a top wall formed with an orifice therein, sidewalls, and a bottom wall, second means defining an outer casing having side walls, a bottom wall, and a top wall swingably engaged to one of said casing side walls to provide a closure, hinge means having an axis normal to the longitudinal axis of said casing mounting said top wall on said side wall whereby the same is movable between upper, casing open condition, and lower, casing closed condition, said casing being four-sided and cross-section, said container being received within said casing and having its cross-sectional dimensions slightly less than the corresponding dimensions of the casing whereby the container is relatively slidable longitudinally within the casing, the four-sided character of said casing and container presenting relative rotation of the same about the longitudinal axes, one of said side walls of said casing being provided with a window-like opening having upper and lower end edges, said opening normally exposing a portion of the adjacent side wall of the received container, grip means comprising knurling constituting a manipulation surface integrally formed on the normally exposed portion of the adjacent side wall of the received container, a detent projection provided on the normally exposed portion of said container side wall at one end portion of said manipulation surface and extending into the window-like opening in said casing for detaining abutment against the end edges of said window-like opening for limiting the relative slidable movement of the container within said casing, said detent being so located with respect to the upper end of said container that when said detent abuts the lower edge of said window-like opening said container upper end will be flushwise engaged with the under side of the top wall closure when the latter is in casing closed condition, a plug-like projection provided on the normally underface of said casing top wall closure receivable within said retainer orifice when the casing is in closed condition for preventing accidental escape of the inhalable drug, a stopper member provided on the innerface of the bottom wall of said casing for extension upwardly therefrom, said container bottom wall having an opening for receiving said stopper when said casing is in closed condition, said casing bottom wall also having a plurality of openings adjacent said stopper to permit passage of air therethrough for delivery to the container bottom wall opening upon startable movement of said container when said casing is in open condition.
 2. A pocket nasal inhaler as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by a resilient finger formed on the inner side of said casing closure, the upper end of said casing defining a mouth when said closure is in inoperative or casing-open condition, a seat formed on the inner side of said casing mouth, said resilient finger engageable with said seat, and said casing closure being provided with a continuous shoulder for sealing engagement with said casing seat when said closure is in closed condition. 